


Kingdom Come (Part 2)

by SteveM



Series: Multiverse Madness [14]
Category: Batwoman (TV 2019), DCU, Supergirl (TV 2015), Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28192428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteveM/pseuds/SteveM
Summary: With the world balanced on a knife edge Kate and the Spectre continue to observe events unfold as Supergirl and the Justice League try to restore order amongst the superhuman population.
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Kate Kane, Kara Danvers/Kate Kane
Series: Multiverse Madness [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931842
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

Kate stood in the middle of the blasted remnants of what had once been Kansas, staring aghast at the still-smoking figure of Kara Zor-El. 

“We are at war.”

The words seemed to linger on the air, the look of shock on the faces of the League members around her frozen in disbelief. In front of her Magog was still collapsed on his knees, his eyes closed awaiting punishment or death with the expression of a man who welcomed either. Anything but hear the voices of a million ghosts whispering accusingly in his ears. And behind Kara, her hand still resting on Supergirl’s shoulder, Wonder Woman stood with a mix of pride and surprise on her face as Kara echoed Diana’s views for the world to hear.

“Kara… no.” Kate whispered, reaching out for the woman who wore her wife’s face… but even as she did the world faded away and the woman she loved had no idea that the phantom visitor from another reality had ever been there. Before Kate could protest she found herself once more floating over the same ruined fields they’d just left but everything below seemed to be moving in fast forward.

She watched dumbstruck as an enormous structure rose from the ashen ground. Gigantic metal walls rose up in a tripod design, the central structure supported by three mile-long legs and held far from the earth. She saw alien devices used to aid in its construction, removing the lingering radiation from the area and accelerating the building process to unimaginable levels. She saw Kara standing below the central core, her face turned upwards with her concerns and fear clearly visible.

“What is it…?” She asked quietly and beside her the Spectre rumbled his answer.

“An invention of necessity. A stronghold of justice designed to contain those who will not follow the path laid down by the League.”

Kate shuddered and muttered almost to herself. “It seems foolish to contain so much power and fury under one roof… but what other choice does she have?”

“It is a question Kara Zor-El will ask herself a hundred times in the days to come.” Spectre agreed reaching a hand towards Kate in invitation. “Meanwhile an unholy fellowship has begun to manifest, one that may change all that we know thus far.”

Kate shuddered at the thought of anything worse than the current situation but nevertheless took the offered hand. Instantly they slipped into the boardroom of Lex Corp, the seats around the table now half full. Alice, Nigma, Ra’s, Siobhan and Vandal Savage sat on one side by Luthor’s left hand. Beyond them a handful of new faces, none of who Kate recognised, wore similar expressions of concentration as they all focused on Lex at the tables’ head. Behind him the butler she’d seen the last time she was in this office waited patiently and none of the others would meet his gaze. 

“My friends, please join me in congratulating our friend and partner Alice for negotiating the one union that may yet make the world safe… for mankind.” He turned towards the door as four figures came into view. 

“I present to you our newest ally in the war against the gods… Batwoman.”

There was a ripple of surprise from those seated at the table and their eyes narrowed at the middle aged but still strikingly attractive woman who walked in as if she owned the building. 

“But… that’s Lena Luthor?” Siobhan asked in confusion. “She’s…”

“Smarter than you, apparently. I thought anyone in the business would have worked out who was behind the Bat long ago.” Lena said with a dismissive glance. “Hello Lex, it’s been a while.”

“Too long!” Lex replied with a smile that almost seemed genuine.

“If you’d hired better snipers it might have been considerably longer.” Lena said casually, her eyes taking in every detail in the room.

“And if I wanted you dead that’s what I would have done.” Lex pointed out. “I was just curious how your new metal minions would react and to see how you’d take it. After all when you took up the mantle of the Bat you became one of the most powerful forces on the planet, doubly so thanks to the brilliant weapons you created to let you carry out your crusade from afar. But you’re family. The only family I have left as a matter of fact…. even if it has taken the end of the world to bring us back together.”

“They’ve begun to build a gulag but I’m sure you already know that.” Lena observed, still taking in the room and its occupants.

“I know I don’t want to spend my remaining days there.” Lex said with a growl before laughing. “I can hardly believe you’re here. If I’d known a common enemy would bring us together I’d have invented one years ago!”

“Given the circumstances what choice do I have?” Lena replied with steel in her voice. “Alone neither you or I can expect victory. But together…” She extended her hand to her brother who clasped it eagerly.

“… together we can bring the Justice League to heel. Once and for all.” Lex finished for her.


	2. Chapter 2

Kate closed her eyes, not wanting to see or believe the scene unfolding before her… and the world erupted into fire. This time the pain of the vision was so great she simply collapsed to whatever was currently acting as the ground, curling into a ball as she tried to shield herself but to no avail. 

The sky itself was burning now, clouds boiling as lightning arced between them from both above and below. Dimly she could make out a figure consumed by the fire and fury, his arms raised as the lightning earthed into his body. The costume wasn’t one she recognised, a red suit with white cape, the edges of both merging with the flaming clouds surrounding him. The face though was familiar, after all she’d just seen it lurking at Lex’s shoulder.

A voice boomed in her head so loudly she felt her skull would burst.

“And he cried with a low voice as when a lion roareth…. And when he cried… SEVEN THUNDERERS uttered their voices.”

As unexpectedly as it had arrived the sight vanished and Kate found herself lying in blackness, the Spectre crouched beside her with a hand resting on her temple, a look of something that could have been mistaken for concern on his face.

“Another vision?”

“They’re coming more quickly. Dreams of armageddon.” She looked up curiously, not yet willing to lift herself back to her feet. “Surely you see them too? How else do you explain this road we walk together? How else do you unerringly lead us to the realities behind the dreams?”

“I see many things Kate Kane… but the future is not one of them. I do not lead you. You lead me inexorably to an imminent hour when judgement must be passed and justice served if this reality … if all realities are to survive. Only you foresee the road to Ragnarok.”

“Great…” Kate groaned pushing herself upright, taking refuge in the cynicism that had served her so well back in a world that didn’t shift beneath her feet. “Well let’s get walking.”

“As you wish.” The Spectre raised a hand and she found herself once more back in the wastes of Kansas only now the tripod structure loomed above them, complete and active.

“Once the land was stripped of radiation Supergirl’s penitentiary was quickly finished.” Spectre said as if unsure she was quite ready to make the deductive leap for herself after the most recent vision. “The gulag was built to imprison the deadliest and most uncontrollable of the superhumans. Thanks to its vast size it was intended to house prisoners for months to come.”

He raised a hand and they shot forward, the walls parting before them like curtains on a stage.

“Within two weeks of its construction it is full beyond capacity.”

Kate stared in shock and horror at what she saw. Within the enormous central pod an entire city sprawled before her, gleaming white buildings looking more like something from ancient Greece than 21st century earth. In the sky above clouds rolled gently past lit by the warmth of a setting sun…. Only she knew full well they were in a self-contained building. Everywhere she looked she could see more and more meta humans. Some soaring through the skies, others skulking along the ground. Some seemingly content to walk the streets, others shoving and barging their way through anyone that stood in their way. Those in the air played games of tag that when watched closely seemed to be more about attack runs and defensive feints than any sort of relaxation.

“Still, the walls hold… thanks in no small part to the Gulag’s architect and Warden. Once the greater escape artist on three worlds, Scott Free is an unparalleled master of bonds and traps. They will need every drop of his talent to contain his charges.”

They shifted again, rolling through the streets where Kate started to spot uniformed figures walking amongst the prisoners. They wore purple suits of alien design and Kate realised with shock she’d seen them before. They were Kryptonian! Armour for Krypton’s jailers, there was a set preserved at the fortress and she was well aware of how powerful they were.

“Under his command guards stand ever vigilant over both the belligerent and the repentant alike.” For a moment Kate caught a glimpse of one of the rooms, its simple wooden furnishings host to the man who’d sparked so much death and chaos. Magog sat on the edge of the bed, his head bowed, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. 

“Why?” Kate asked quietly. “Why gather them all here in one place? So they can brood?”

“No. So they can learn.”

A gentle chime rang out and an enormous hologram of Supergirl faded into view in the middle of the communal plaza. Her arms were crossed and she wore an expression that mixed hope, encouragement and discipline. But Kate saw something else hidden deep in her eyes. She saw fear and concern… and that scared the hell out of Kate Kane.

“It’s really very simple.” Kara said and her voice seemed to easily reach across the self-contained world without ever becoming loud or harsh. “In this world there is right and there is wrong. That distinction is not difficult to make.”

“Oh yeah?” The shout came from a tall woman dressed in black armour that came to a set of wicked looking claws on either hand. “Then where does robbing us of our freedom fall, oh great and powerful Oz?”

Of course the hologram didn’t hear the interruption and continued on. “Please understand our intent. None of you are here for punishment. You’re here for education.”

“We’re here because we disagree with you, you stupid recording! How many different ways can you spew that pollyanna crap?”

“The powers we have… the things we do… they’re meant to inspire ordinary citizens. Not intimidate and terrify them.”

“Day after day she talks to us like we’re the bad guys!” This came from a white man in his early twenties dressed in combat fatigues with a crackling purple energy field dancing across his fingertips. “Who bagged Eclipso huh? Who toasted the Penguin? Guys like us, that’s who! We saved lives!”

“We cannot act as judge and jury. We adhere to a moral code based on the preservation of life.”

“Easy for you to say!” The clawed woman spat angrily, turning to her fellow inmates. “Did she ever had to fight the slaughter brigade? Times change but she still expects everyone to live up to some cobweb-covered code! She sticks us in here just because we don’t kiss babies and salute the friggin’ flag! I’m sick of this medieval thinking. Her code’s just as empty…” She stabbed down and her claws pierced the stone floor, prying out a large chunk.

“… as this stupid hologram!” With a grunt of effort she hurled the stone through Supergirl and smashed the half-hidden lens in the pillar behind that was projecting the image. 

“Sorry you feel that way.” The voice came from above and there was a muttered ‘uh-oh..” from the crowd of onlookers. From above Hawkman swooped down, his mace held casually but rather obviously in his right hand.

“That must be why you opened fire in the middle of a human crowd. Why you thought it was acceptable to endanger an entire cable car of unarmed and innocent civilians.” He gestured to the same enormous figure that Kate had last seen unconscious at the feet of Kara and Diana in Germany. “I’m sure Von Bach would agree with you. We bought him in for killing opponents who had already surrendered.”

Kate shivered as even as a wraith watching the events unfold she felt the air electrify. The prisoners were packed too closely, nerves were raw… tempers were going to flare.

“Schweinhund!” Von Bach bellowed as he charged across the square, fist raised. Hawkman stood his ground then in one lightning move brought the mace up and cracked Von Bach under the chin. The huge figure flew backwards, the crowd scattering out of his way until he crashed into a low stone wall and lay still in the rubble.

“Von Bach? You all right man?” A thin man with bright silver skin kneeled down, checking on the fallen meta human.

“You have a lot to learn Von Bach. Get to it.” Hawkman said, taking off into the sky and leaving the prisoners to help their fellow inmate back to his feet.

Kate found her attention drawn to two figures who had watched the incident from the sidelines. Both looked like they were made of smooth metal, one blue and one white. She realised she knew them… and suddenly it clicked. The attack on Lady Liberty! But there had been three of them…

The white figure had a single eye in the middle of her face and suddenly Kate found herself being sucked towards it, the reflection of the gulag growing enormous until she plunged through. There was a moment when the world seemed to snap in on itself then she found herself in an unfamiliar room. It was dark but in that darkness lights flickered and the gentle sounds of machines fulfilling their purpose purred and thrummed. Before her she saw Lex, his butler alongside him as they focused on the missing red member of the trio.

She followed their gaze and corrected herself. They weren’t looking at him but the small orb floating above his hand which was showing them an oddly-distorted view of the gulag. What the white member of the group was seeing Kate realised with dread.

“Excellent…” Lex murmured, a hand clapping the butler on the shoulder.

“The man by Lex’s side.” Kate asked slowly. “You called him the Captain of the Thunder and the Lightning”… but I don’t recognise him.

“He was once known as the world’s most powerful mortal.” The Spectre said carefully. “A child capable of transforming into a full-grown warrior with all the powers of the gods themselves who the people knew as Shazam. A powerful ally and close friend of Supergirl before she withdrew from the world.”

“So why is he with Lex?”

“His role in this war remains a mystery…” The grinning Lex and his associates faded from view and Kate turned to follow Spectre’s gaze up to the heavens. “… even to the old wizard who first called down the thunder for him and bequeathed him his name.”

Kate stared, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Far, far above her the Earth hung suspended in an infinite black void and gathered around it were three figures. One was clearly the wizard Spectre had mentioned, a white beard grown almost to his feet and clad in simple grey robes. To his left a smaller blue skinned creature with an oversized head, his body hidden from view by a red robe and on his chest the very familiar symbol of the Green Lantern corp. To the wizard’s right was a man who looked torn from norse mythology. His was old but clad in a mix of robes and armour and carried with him an air of both wisdom and battle.

“Even now he pleads for understanding from his brethren. The galactic lords and immortals who are the quintessence of all power cosmic.”

“Please, I could love him no more if he were my son… and he is lost! We must help him. We must help them all!” The wizard spoke and Kate felt her mind recoil as it tried to process a voice that could travel between worlds.

“No more, Shazam.” This came from the blue-skinned man, white eyes looking with some compassion at the wizard. “Over the millennia we have often lent our guidance and wisdom to the earthlings… only to watch them march proudly towards disaster.”

“Ganthet is not wrong.” The warrior rumbled and Kate cringed at the thought of that voice turning its attention to her. “The Humans are not our responsibility. They are but motes in the cosmos. An insignificant factor in the grand life equation.”

Behind her Kate swore she felt the Spectre bristle but even as she turned to him he seemed to grown, rising up to take his place amongst the power cosmic.

“How interesting that you insist upon this Highfather. That you are all so concerned with how unconcerned you should act. Tell me, do you then dwell on the Earth’s problems because you are so cosmically bored… or is it just possible… that you congregate in order to prevent each other from interfering?”

Kate felt her mind start to crack from the assault on her senses. Realising the conversation was not meant for her ears she turned away to the blessed relief of the infinite blackness… and found herself looking at a very familiar face.

“Well I wasn’t expecting to see you here Kate.” said Kate Kane…


	3. Chapter 3

“What the…” Kate stared at her doppelgänger in shock. There were a few more lines on her face, a mix of age and a life lived differently, but there was no doubt at all that she was looking at herself. The two Kate’s reached out but their hands passed through each other like mist on a spring morning.

“Nice to see a familiar face…” The older Kate said but there was a wariness in her eyes. “Though it might mean I’ve finally lost my mind.”

“You haven’t.” Kate reassured… herself quickly. 

“Pretty sure I hadn’t.” There was a smile and for a moment warmth filled her face. “If I’m going to start hallucinating it’ll damn well be Kara. Plus the company you keep kinda gives it away…” She gestured up to the giant figures to prove her point.

“Wait, you know The Spectre?”

“Know is a strong word but when you’ve been in the ethereal plane as long as I have you pick things up.” There was a sharp glance from her older self as she shot Kate a look. “And don’t ask me how long it’s been, if you’ve been travelling between universes you know time doesn’t really work here.”

“Oh… I’m sorry.” Kate hesitated but there might never be another chance to ask the questions that burned within her. “What… happened?”

“I don’t know. Not… not really.” The older Kate sighed and she shook her head. “The moment of death… it’s not something we’re really meant to remember. At least I don’t think it is. It’s not as if they give you a guide book or anything.”

“So…you’re dead?”

“Wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t now would I?” Another sharp look but this one had a little humour behind it. “You’re sure you’re me, right?”

“More or less.” Kate allowed. “And, again, sorry. It’s been a really long… uh…. Yeah, I see what you mean about that whole time thing.”

“Exactly, no point of reference so how do you know how long it’s been. And to answer your question properly: I was visiting Kara at CatCo.” The older Kate gave a snort of laughter and looked genuinely amused for a moment. “Always thought it’d be some giant battle against impossible odds. Something dramatic. But no… I go to take my wife out for a surprise anniversary lunch and that’s it.”

“Oh…” Kate didn’t know what to say but it was quickly becoming clear the two women were enough alike for the older Kate to know what the other was thinking.

“Hey I can think of a lot worse reasons to die than visiting the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“I… I guess so.” Kate admitted and she couldn’t quite keep the little knowing smile from her lips. That much they were certainly very much in agreement on. “So…”

“So… CatCo had run a story on the Joker. Real in-depth psychological piece getting to the heart of what makes him tick. Guess he took exception to it. Took over every major news network in the country and challenged Supergirl to find and stop twenty bombs he’d planted in schools and hospitals across National City. The last time I saw Kara she was racing to stop him.”

A dark shadow passed across the older woman’s face and she shivered. “He waited until she was at the one furthest from CatCo then blew the bomb he’d placed two floors below us. I…. I can remember the fire coming for us. I tried to throw Sam Arias behind a pillar for safety… no idea if that worked or not… I doubt it though. I can still remember how light she felt, how fragile… then the fire reached me and that was it. Nothing more to do, no more fighting to be done.”

Something from the conversation between Magog and Kara rang in Kate’s mind. “You did save her!”

“What? How… how can you know that?”

“I… heard Magog talking. He mentioned a lot of deaths but only one woman.” That was close enough to the truth, Kate thought. She didn’t want to talk about Kara right now that was for sure. “You saved her.”

“One last life…” There was a smile that Kate recognised all too well. “Then it was worth it.”

“Always. Uh… I hate to ask but… why are you here? I don’t exactly see a lot of people floating around the, what did you call it, Ethereal Plane?”

“I don’t know how… remember how I said the death part is pretty much not in whatever passes for my brain now? Same goes for what happens after. I just… I can remember someone or… or something urging me forward but I couldn’t go. I… I couldn’t. I asked… begged really… to stay. To wait…. And I guess I did.”

“Kara. You’re waiting for Kara.”

“Wouldn’t you?”

Kate laughed quietly and nodded. “Until the universe went cold and dark.”

“I just… I don’t know what waits after this. But even if it’s a paradise…”

“… it wouldn’t be without her in it.” Kate said. “I get it, I really do.”

“Can I ask you something?” The older Kate said nervously causing her younger self to brace. 

“Of course.” Please, please don’t be about her Kara, Kate thought. I don’t know how to tell her everything that’s happened.

“Oh don’t worry, I’m not going to ask about those still in the world.” The older Kate laughed. “There’s absolutely nothing I can do about that and the way things were going I can’t imagine it’s sunshine and rainbows. It’s hard enough hanging on to my sanity here without torturing myself with that. Actually I should have said could you do me a favour?”

“Uh… sure.”

“If you ever get a chance to talk to Kara, my Kara I mean, on your travels… tell her I love her? And that it wasn’t her fault. Please?”

“I will. I promise.”

“Thank you.” The words were almost whispered in prayer then the older Kate glanced up again at the Spectre towering far overhead. “Maybe there’s something I can do for you in return. How much do you know about him?”

“Not a lot. Spirit of Justice, travel multiverses, bonded with a friend of mine to reboot the entire multiverse and we thought he died doing it.”

“Well the sprit of Justice may be pushing it.” The older Kate looked around as if worried she was going to be overheard. “Sometimes I do get a chance to talk to others travelling these very strange roads and from what I hear spirit of vengeance would be closer to the mark. The personification of Divine Wrath held in check by a human host.” She glanced up again and the worry was clear on her face. “When it comes to it you can’t be sure whose side he’ll take in anything.”

Kate suddenly found her mouth as dry as a desert. “Thank you, I’ll… keep that in mind.”

“Be safe Kate Kane. Whatever it is you’re here to do good luck. And remember, no matter what, never stop fighting.” The older version of herself started to fade from sight. Kate watched, not sure what to say and wondering if words were really needed anymore. She felt the brush of the Spectre’s presence and turned slightly to see him standing by her shoulder, staring at the spot her doppelgänger had been standing.

“Come, the world marches on and we must be there to observe and judge.”

Kate felt a short, sharp shiver pass through her. Now that she was looking for it she caught the odd inflection on ‘judge’. It wasn’t menacing in and of itself but it was almost as if a great deal was being left unsaid and its echo haunted the words. She set herself as they walked forward once more down the path that her visions led them determined that if she really did have anything to do with this ‘judgement’ then wrath would not be a part of it.


	4. Chapter 4

“And the last we saw of Mia she was walking off arm-in-arm with Lena looking like a very smug cat that had just eaten every canary in the world with the things’ metal head hanging from her free hand like a trophy.” Kara finished and grinned at the rapid-fire looks of pride, horror and traditional fatherly squeamishness at finding out his daughter had a love life that danced across Oliver’s face.

Not that there was much else to be cheerful about, Kara thought to herself. Oh the chairs were comfortable enough and Oliver seemed to be able to create a decent range of drinks from thin air… though she wasn’t entirely sure if it was even air they were breathing right now. All around them the inky blackness of limbo pressed in against them and their little island of light seemed very small and fragile against the void.

It was killing Kara to just sit here and talk. Not, of course, that she minded talking to Oliver Queen - or, at least, what he’d become after dying, bonding with the spectre, his second death rebooting the universe, whatever was left after *that* trauma and now the part of him that was still him after the Spectre had withdrawn to let Kate guide the latest judgement - but the temptation to force the multiverse to bring her to Kate’s side was still burning within her. Still, as Ollie had said, Kate always found Kara. Always. She’d travelled to Apokolips before now… she’d find her here too. All Kara needed was a little more patience.

As there seemed to be a distinct lack of patience to be found she settled for shifting the conversation in another direction.

“Mind if I ask you a question?” She said gently and Oliver looked shocked that anyone would care.

“Uh, no. No of course not.”

“Why are we here? Me and Kate on this journey with you, I mean, not the ‘meaning of life’ or anything.”

Ollie smiled sadly and looked her right in the eyes. “I told you. With everything that’s happened to me I’ve lost touch with my humanity. Become… unreliable, at least for what’s been going on here.”

“Hmm…” Kara tapped a finger against the padded arm of the chair, watching her old friend carefully. “Alright… now what’s the real reason?”

“That is the real reason.” Oliver said in confusion.

“Really? Because it doesn’t feel like it.” Kara said carefully, trying to keep her tone friendly. “Oh I’ll buy that you needed us for the Freescape, you’ve always been a bit fixated with people failing their cities after all so realising it was about the souls of those left behind and what came next might have been tricky. But Steph needed us as friends, as equals to help her cement her confidence in taking on the mantle. The ‘judgement’ there wasn’t whether she was good enough or not, it was about her accepting it.”

She paused for a moment, clearly considering events carefully. “Then there was Etheria… you say that was an accident but I don’t buy that. That… that felt more like we were being tested. Seeing how far we’d go, whether we’d get involved when pushed to. Maybe… maybe testing our own humanity. Which, by the way, totally alienist.”

Her gaze seemed locked on something very far away as she thought back. “And even before that… when Carol somehow broke into our reality and we got pulled all the way to a universe that runs on music. Why us? Why do we keep getting caught up in these things? There’s got to be a reason, there’s been too many up to this point.”

She blinked and started to stare at Ollie who shuffled uneasily in his seat. He liked to think of himself as unflappable but truth be told he’d always been just a little uncomfortable around Kara Zor-El. Not in a bad way, at least that’s what he told himself, but more… more that this woman could reshape the universe if she wanted and his natural instincts rebelled at the thought of such power in any hands, even his own.

“When it comes to this particular task, really, we needed you to help ensure our judgement was sound. The rest of it…” He chuckled and spread his arms wide. “Maybe reality just likes to use the best when it needs saving?”

She raised a skeptical eyebrow and he winced. “Yeah, sorry, that sounded bad but I actually mean it. You and Kate have done remarkable things together Kara. Things that no-one should be able to do. Why wouldn’t you be top of whatever cosmic list exists out there.” He shrugged and looked away. “Trust me on this at least: when it comes to cosmic powers and how they make their decisions I’m not the person to ask.”

“By which I assume you’re saying you’ve got no idea why the Spectre split from you and chose Kate? And don’t give me that ‘she must judge’ nonsense, you know what I mean.”

“More or less.” Ollie admitted. “Maybe it’s worse than I know, maybe… maybe I’m so broken I’m useless to him now.”

“Now that really doesn’t sound like the Oliver Queen I remember.” Kara said softly. “Since when did you ever… EVER… accept defeat so easily?”

“Since I lost any reason to fight on.” The sadness in the words had Kara out of her chair and wrapping Oliver in a hug before they’d faded to silence. She was surprised how solid he felt, she’d almost expected it to be like hugging… well, like hugging a ghost. Instead she could hear his heart beating, feel his blood pumping.

“You’re such an idiot.” Kara said with a chuckle after a few minutes. She let go and knelt down at his side. “Do you really think you’ve not got a reason to fight?”

“Just the mission.” Oliver said quietly. “Protect the multiverse.”

“Oliver Queen, you’ve seen things no human would believe.” Kara replied in a stern voice. “You’ve survived battles that should have shredded you, you’ve crossed realities and even side-stepped death. Most of that while being a regular human too, no powers beyond your own mind and body. What, in the name of all that’s holy, makes you think the mission is to protect the universe?”

“I…. I don’t understand.”

“The universe can usually take care of itself, is pretty good at that.” Kara joked. “We fight for the people we care about. Yes that usually includes the innocent in general but you need to have something more, some sort of anchor. And you, you dummy, seem to have convinced yourself you’ve lost everyone along the way.”

“Well…”

“Oh no. No. No don’t you dare!” Kara carefully whacked him across the knee, making sure not to send him flying off into the void. “Whether they think you dead or not there’s still people out there who care about you!”

“But if I can’t… I mean, if I’m dead then…”

“Then what?” Kara asked with a shrug. “I can see you. So can Kate. You can move us between realities and let us interact with people from those realities. I can’t imagine you have to keep yourself apart if you don’t want to.”

“It’s not for me. Seeing the dead doesn’t usually end well for the living…” Oliver pointed out. “In fact that sounds like a recipe for a one way trip to Arkham.”

Kara looked him up and down as if weighing a decision of her own. “Alright… then I’ve got a deal for you. No, wait, not a deal… a proposition.”

Just for a second something shifted on Oliver’s face and Kara saw him as she so rarely had, free of cares and worries, a much younger man even though nothing had changed on his face. “Does it involve black leather?”

“Still think about Overgirl huh?” Kara rolled her eyes at the memories but had to admit her doppelgänger had looked smoking hot in that outfit….

“Well you did say proposition…”

“Yes but you really must be out of practice because you just missed the target completely.” Kara said, shaking her head. “Once this is all over and the multiverse isn’t threatening to shake itself apart for at least the next five minutes we’re going to sit down and figure out how to get you back into the world.”

“I don’t…”

“If nothing else we know about you now.” Kara pointed out, ignoring the protest. “There’s gotta be something we can do to help, even if it’s just take you out for a burger and fries ever now and then.”

“A burger….” Ollie said, his entire body radiating disbelief. 

“I figured red meat was more your thing than ice cream or waffles.” Kara said with a sly smile. “Besides which I know a fantastic place up in the highlands of Scotland. Local cattle, not an artificial anything in sight, views to die for and most importantly really, really isolated. Makes most of its trade in the tourist season from people who’re regretting not bringing proper waterproof coats and needing to drip-dry for a while. You won’t be recognised there and we can talk privately.”

Ollie went to protest again then stopped and thought, really thought, about what Kara was offering. “Alright. We’ll talk about that. And, uh, Kara?” He looked awkward for a moment then gave her a sheepish grin that turned the clock back a decade or more. “Whatever happens thanks for trying.”

“What are friends for?” Kara replied with her own big, beaming smile. “Did I earn another question?”

At that Oliver really did laugh, reaching out to squeeze Kara’s shoulder. “You don’t need to earn them Kara. You never have!” 

“Oooh, you might regret that!” Kara said with a smirk that Ollie realised could only mean trouble. She got up and went back to her chair, sitting down with her right leg crossed over her left as she did her level best to look like a queen in her throne. “What’s all this Barry told me about you sleeping with your girlfriend’s sister back in the day?”

Oliver cursed under his breath and actually blushed behind his beard. “Oh, that. Would you believe I was young and foolish?”

“I’ve met you. So yes. But come on, details!” She gestured at the blackness around them. “What else are we going to do?”

“Alright.” Ollie reluctantly agreed, trying to piece together the story into something that wouldn’t sound utterly sleazy. “Well… Laurel and I were having some, uh, issues and I’d always gotten on with Sara and we were talking one night and the idea of her taking Laurel’s place on the Queen’s Gambit popped into my head after a drink or three and…”

“Woah! Wait a minute!” Kara interrupted, her eyes wide. “Sara? As in Sara Lance? Sara slept with you while knowing you were cheating on her sister with her?”

“Umm… yes. Yeah, that’s…. yes.”

Kara sat back, her hand reaching down for the glass that had quietly turned into a full tumbler of well-aged whiskey. “Oh this is going to be good!”


	5. Chapter 5

As existence melted back into view Kate was shocked to find herself standing on a small hunk of rock in orbit around the Earth. To her right the blue-green sphere she called home slowly turned through its axis, the bright band of dawn rushing across the landscape far, far below. To her left was the bright green watchtower, its surface seeming to glow in the unfiltered light of the sun. And there, sitting on a small ledge on its exterior, were Supergirl and Wonder Woman. Diana wore a full space suit with a round glass helmet while Kara made do with a transparent rebreather over her face held in place with a green headband that seemed to double as an earpiece. Kate realised, a little belatedly, that in this reality Kryptonians must be able to better deal with the vacuum of space than Kara could on Earth Prime.

“… So then I flew him up to about, oh, here…” Kara was saying and Kate could hear the conversation as clear as a bell. “.. and I said do you see that beautiful blue marble, Braniac? That’s my world. Return it. Now.”

“Did he hear you?” Diana asked and she sounded more at peace than Kate was used to. 

“Actually not in airless space, no.” Kara admitted with a small smile. “But I think he got the message. NORAD was back on line within five minutes.”

“So did you destroy him?”

“Of course not!” Kara looked aghast though Kate was almost certain at least some of that was for comedic effect. “I just buried some of his circuitry on Saturn. And some on Mars. Annnd some on Argo…. And the rest inside a pulitzer in my apartment.”

Diana laughed and it might just have been the first time Kate had seen her happy since she’d come to this reality. “Oh that’s funny… you never told me that story before!” She looked off into space with an odd, almost wistful expression on her face. “Gods those were better days.”

“Easier anyway.” Kara admitted, hesitating before asking the questions they both knew was coming. “Diana… what’s this about being ousted by your own people? When did that happen?”

“Shortly after you went into seclusion.” Diana sighed, letting her eyes track Kara’s fingers as they reached out to snag a tiny chunk of rock then flick it so it bounced between several nearby mini-asteroids before vanishing into the void of space. 

“For years I had been the Amazons’ ambassador to the the outside world. My mission was to spread a message of peace. Of order. As the world continued to darken there was some doubt as to how well I had done my job. My Amazon sisters… my own mother… came to suggest that I had, perhaps, failed.”

Diana grabbed another small stone and angrily fired it at the nearest rock. “They actually put me on trial. I pled my case but in the end they decreed that I had, indeed, not changed man’s world. That it had instead changed me. They stripped me of my royalty and my heritage.” She looked down, staring through her dangling feet to the endless depths below. “There may have been some justice to their decision.”

“Do you believe that?” Kara asked gently.

“The Amazons believe in peace through strength. Too often I relied on an olive branch rather than a sword.”

“I always admired your compassion.”

“It didn’t get the job done.”

“You did your best.”

“Then why isn’t the world better?”

“There are degrees…” Kara tried to explain but Diana cut her off angrily.

“How many degrees were you interested in hearing about when you retired? You said it yourself once Kara. We are warriors. We have an obligation to wage combat.”

“Only as a last resort. Given who we are Diana… given the power we possess… we have a greater obligation to keep the peace.” Kara took another look at her friend, trying to read her intentions but with no luck. Something chirped in her headset and she sighed, pushing off from the ledge as if she was going to swim a length of a pool. Before flying towards Earth she hesitated, turning back just long enough to offer one last piece of advice she hoped may help, a line she’d once heard from Diana herself.

“Only the weak succumb to brutality.”


	6. Chapter 6

Once more the watching duo shifted across the world in the blink of an eye and Kate had to resist the urge to duck as they materialised in a war zone. Around them an army of super-humans were rampaging through a city and front and centre was a young boy in a red jumper and blue jeans, running for his life. To no avail. Even as she watched a blinding blue beam lanced from the massed ranks of super-humans and carved his heart from his chest, the torn body collapsing on a mountain of dead humans. It was only then she noticed the chair in the middle of the room and the hulking form of Shazam sitting in it, a horrified look on his face.

“Those… those things never happened.” He whispered and it was then that Kate realised they were surrounded by a lifelike projection, the metal room turned into a world of cruel terror at the flick of a switch.

“But they could have and really that’s the point, isn’t it?” Lex’s smooth voice slid from the shadows as he loomed behind Billy Baston. “Super-humans can do anything they please. They can main. They can kill. They’ve made the world a verrrry ugly place, haven’t they Billy?” Kate’s fists clenched as she realised what Lex was doing, the easy, calculated precision as he slipped his thoughts in to Billy’s head as easily as if they’d been birthed there by Billy himself.

“Fortunately you don’t have to take part in their world do you?”

“No. NO!” Billy cried, recoiling in his chair from a fresh wave of obscene violence.

“That’s ri-ight.” Lex almost sang the words, reaching out for Billy’s left ear. “You’ll stay right where I order you to stay. How else will you get your treatment Billy? Here, let me get that.” 

His fingers plucked a small, wriggling worm from the edge of Billy’s earlobe, its body wriggling as Lex carefully moved it back to a liquid-filled bowl containing hundreds of its fellows.

“Here, you’re safe. Here you can help the world Billy. With my help you can save it.” A fresh worm was in Lex’s fingers now and he placed it carefully in the curve of Billy’s right ear. 

“The worms crawl in… the worms crawl out… and they take away your fears and doubts.” It was almost a nursery rhyme, Kate thought with revulsion and she wanted nothing more in the universe than to make Lex Luthor hurt for what he was doing. 

“Sh… shu… shaz….” Billy stuttered as the worm slid from view but Lex just smiled and shook his head, a single finger pressed to Billy’s lips silencing him immediately. “Oh no. No. There’ll be no retreat into what you were. Not yet. I still have a very special job for you…”

Kate turned away in revulsion and caught a hint of movement. She barely had time to see the shape before the room faded away but she was sure that just for a second she’d seen a small metal figure hanging from a pipe in the ceiling, its eyes glowing red…

They reappeared on a wide metal catwalk in the middle of a vast workshop. Lex was coming through a door at the far end, drying his hands of the last liquid from the worm’s resting place. Leaning on the catwalk, her attention locked on a small display screen wrapped around her left forearm, was Lena.

“Ah there you are sis. Well? What do you think?” Lex asked jubilantly, gesturing to the floor below.

“I think you authorised triple shifts without telling me.” Lena replied, barely looking up.

Below them, stretching almost as far as the eye could see, were bay after bay of metallic Guardians, their forms the familiar black shapes Kate had so recently seen patrolling the streets of Gotham and National City. The bat-like touches made them seem out of place, their stylised weapon pods and cowl-like heads the stuff of nightmares in the brightly-lit factory. The sparks that sprayed up from the automated machinery as panels were cut and welded didn’t help with that impression one bit.

“Strength in numbers!” Lex said with a grin. “It took a long time but you finally learned that.” He looked out over the construction below. “Magnificent aren’t they? Between your design and my production, the Justice League doesn’t stand a prayer of survival. Soon we will be able to crush them with an unyielding legion of steel soldiers.”

“I can feel your pulse throb from here Lex.” Lena said acidly. “Don’t even think about double crossing me. Our objective is world order not world domination. Don’t forget your agenda.”

“Oh I wouldn’t dream of it!” Lex protested, beckoning his sister towards the far end of the catwalk.

“Ridding the world of the league is a necessary evil Lex.” Lena said as they moved deeper into the complex. “Humanity was never meant to bow before a Kryptonian.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Lex replied, opening the door to their command centre and ushering Lena inside. Around the wall were views of every continent on earth, the circular table in the centre lit from above with the core members of both Lex and Lena’s teams sitting warily around it. “Once Supergirl and her lackeys are out of the way the Mankind Liberation Front can seize power.. and with your little robobats keeping the peace we can return the reins of civilisation to the human race.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Oliver Queen put in from the table. “The again, so does this. Can’t we just drop a K-bomb on the Girl of Steel’s head?”

“Sadly Mr Queen Kryptonite no longer packs the… punch it did in the old days. A fact I learned the hard way.” Lex said with bitterness as he took his seat. “Chalk it up to the solar radiation Supergirl’s cells have been guzzling all these years. She’s at the height of her invulnerability.” 

“So how, exactly, do you intended to deal with her then?” Vandal Savage asked. “She’s a bigger threat than every other meta human on this planet combined Lex, you know that.”

Lex just smiled and turned to his sister. “Once war beings Lena, can your players advance to the front lines if necessary?”

“We’ll be in place Lex. Obviously we haven’t the raw might to match Supergirl’s army…” Lena raised a hand and as if from nowhere a group of a dozen heroes melted into existence behind her, their mix of armour and glowing energy making them seem almost etherial in the dark room. “… but we have the fire of youth on our side. The sons and daughters of many of the leaguers have come to lend their support.”

“And they’re prepared to fight tooth and nail with the generation that sired them?” Vandal asked in surprise.

“”Aren’t all children Mr Savage?” Lena asked with a wicked smile. “They’re prepared to strike when I give the signal.” She turned to Lex. “I’m assuming your strategy involves the gulag?”

“Why… yes.” Lex said, clearly surprised at Lena’s insight.

“Details?”

“Soon enough. In fact I’m awaiting word myself. Now if you’ll excuse me…” Lex slipped from the room as an uneasy mingling started amongst the super humans and the Mankind Liberation Front. Lena watched him go then slowly made her way, via a few brief conversations, to a nondescript man standing to the back of the group. She glanced at Sara Lance, standing a few feet away and got an answering nod in return. Lena saw the blonde assassin shift slightly to cover their conversation and keep an eye on anyone who might be trying to listen in.

“I know what you’re thinking. I do!” The voice arrived in Lena’s mind directly, not bothering with her ears. She glanced at the man and for a moment saw his fingers phase to become slightly transparent.

“I’m aware of that old friend.” She said softly. “But let’s not do this telepathically. You won’t stay focused. Talk to me. Just relax… and talk.”

“Who is he…?” Kate asked, suddenly fascinated by the kindness in Lena’s voice. It was somewhat out of keeping with everything she’d seen so far and such a difference probably warranted closer scrutiny. 

“In this form?” The Spectre rumbled beside her. “An everyman. Someone who so desperately longed to understand the human psyche, to help prevent the same path his own people trod, that he finally in one terrible moment opened his mind to the world and was forever shattered by its thoughts.” 

The Spectre reached out and drew the form of the man up like a sheet draped over a child pretending to be a ghost. Kate gasped as beneath it she saw green skin and a familiar face, his body covered in dark armour with a red X across his chest.

“He was once a Martian champion.” Spectre said and he sounded sad at the proclamation. “Now he is not much of anything.”

He dropped the ‘sheet’ to hide the broken Martian Manhunter but before Kate could react to the revelation the command centre door opened again and Billy Baston strode into the room. This time he wore a tailored suit and started to circulate through the room, exchanging pleasantries and leaving fear in his wake.

“J’onn…” Lena whispered, moving close and sliding an arm around him in support. “Can you verify?”

“I… I will… try…” The man looked up and his eyes went wide as he stared at Billy. “Lost… lost in.. in himself… so much noise… in his head… in my head. Too much noise, too much!”

“Shh, shh it’s okay.” Lena said gently, reaching out and easing his outstretched arm back to his side. “It’s okay, close down, reclaim your mind.”

“What n…now?” The man stuttered. “I want to stay, I want to muh - matter. I… Oh. Oh you.. you don’t think I’ll help..””

Lena shook her head and looked him right in the eyes. “J’onn, you fought the good fight longer than any of us. You’ve done all that’s ever been asked of you! And today was no exception. Thank you.”

“I… I did?”

“Yes. You’ve paid your dues old friend. Sara will get you out of here safely. Go home and rest.” Sara Lance padded silently across at an unseen signal and slipped her arm around J’onn’s. It seemed a well-practiced gesture and Kate was grateful for the smile on J’onn’s face at the familiar presence. Before they could turn to leave Lena stepped in and whispered to him: “Dream of red sands and silent stars.” 

He nodded and the gratitude was written in his eyes even if he couldn’t say it then they were gone. 

Kate turned and her attention was suddenly fixed on Billy Baston as he carved a swathe through the young members of Lena’s army. He reached out for an arrow in a thigh holster of a woman in her twenties. “May I?”

“Oh! I mean…. Sure. Sure help yourself.” She replied and as he pulled it out to examine it Kate’s eyes narrowed. No-one was breathing in his presence. She could practically see their thoughts… what’s he thinking, what will he do next. This was something far different to their awed reaction to Kara, this was more potential prey sharing a watering hole with an apex predator.

“You still haven’t told me who he really is.” Kate said to her guide and to her surprise he answered the unspoken question.

“There are those who call him the world’s mightiest mortal. A man given the power of the gods who walked alongside the titans and kept pace. Where their power came from birth or technology his came from magic.”

And they’re all terrified of him, Kate thought. No wonder if he was thought of alongside Diana and Kara. The intimidation his mere presence caused in the ranks of these super heroes was more than a little concerning. That he was in Lex’s thrall, even more so.

“Come, there is more we must witness.” Spectre said and together they walked from one gathering to another, this one high above the surface of the planet…


	7. Chapter 7

“Germany is all clear.” Kara said, her arm resting on the metal frame holding the huge clear windows in place as she gazed down at the world spinning beneath them. “Austria’s clear… and Italy.”

Behind her a young man in blue robes was working a tablet computer. “Check, Metahuman activity has been abolished in Europe. Moving on to Africa…”

Towards the centre of the room a large group of Justice League members were gathered around Robin, Stephanie visibly limping as she paced a short circle in frustration. 

“They dropped a building on you?” 

“Put Power Woman in a body cast, I got lucky.” Steph replied with a snarl. “Listen… I’m with you, I was all for the gulag. But throwing Von Bach into that cauldron is like poking a hydrogen balloon with a match. It was a big enough pressure cooker as it is but what we’re doing isn’t working!”

“What choice do we have?” 

“I don’t know but… but Supergirl seems to think she can get everyone to behave like they did when times were brighter. Thing is even she can’t turn back time.” Stephanie said reluctantly. 

There was a silence in the room and Kate noticed that Kara’s shoulders were slumped as she stared down at the continent turning slowly below her. Of course she could hear them… she could hear every word… but she also couldn’t really argue with what was said. Yet what choice did they or anyone else have?

Without warning a huge hologram burst into life in the centre of the room. Scott Free, warden of the Gulag, was framed from the shoulders up and much larger than life, a look of fear in his eyes.

“Gulag to Watchtower, we have a situation! Riot in progress, repeat, riot in progress. The prisoners have gone berserk! We need reinforcements immediately, repeat, need…” 

The transmission vanished in a pop of static and everyone stared in shocked silence for a moment. Kara stepped into the middle of the room, unconsciously replacing the hologram but it was Diana that spoke first.

“Flash! Green Lantern! Hawks! To the gulag. Now! Take control…”

“Through peaceful means…” Kara said but Diana talked over her.

“By whatever means necessary! I want a status report as soon as possible! Everyone else be ready to follow if called.”

There was a rush of movement as the room cleared, everyone hurrying to their duties and leaving Supergirl and Wonder Woman alone.

“Diana…. Why did you undermine my authority?” Kara asked carefully.

“Why did I… I saw a crisis Kara! I reacted in a confident and unqualified manner. The others need to see that sort of authority from someone.” There was a pause as a great many things hung in the air unsaid before Diana visibly composed herself. “Pull yourself together, we’re overdue for a meeting with the U.N. They can’t help but know about the gulag by now.”

“Then I guarantee they’re wondering when we started making up our own laws.” Kara said grimly leading the way towards the teleport. “Let’s go.”

The room swirled around Kate and she found herself in the same small, secure meeting room she’d seen briefly when Supergirl had broadcast her return from the steps in front of the U.N. building in New York. Around the table the men and women representing the security council sat apprehensively, eyeing Supergirl and Wonder Woman with distrust bordering on fear.

“We are of course flattered that the mighty Justice League has finally deemed the human race worthy of consideration.” The secretary general said, his fingers steepled in front of his chest.

“There’s no need for sarcasm Secretary-General.” Wonder Woman said sharply.

“Forgive me. We’re simply no longer accustomed to being advised or consulted. Imagine our surprise, for instance, to learn that the centre of the Unites States now harbours a meta human prison. You insist that - hard as this is to believe - it poses no prevailing danger. That those incarcerated are fully docile and eager to acclimate.” He paused, holding Wonder Woman’s gaze for a moment before turning to Supergirl. “Is that true Supergirl?”

There was silence for a moment then Kara inclined her head, accepting the point much to Diana’s shock. “Not Entirely. The gulag is a work in progress. The League must find a way to guide those who insist upon working against the common good. I admit there is some danger… but I chose to put the renegades together where we can monitor and teach them rather than leave them scattered throughout the world where they can harm innocents.”

The Secretary-General slid his glasses forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Inside a giant powder keg. Supergirl, the confidence and hope your reemergence engendered is fast eroding. Global economy is still catastrophic, world trauma staggering. We will not risk another Kansas though, I can promise you that.”

“Meaning?” Supergirl asked and there was a sudden edge to her tone that set even Kate’s skin crawling.

“Meaning that we must begin to decide some things for ourselves. Good day to you you both.”

As they flew away from the U.N. headquarters Diana shook her head at the look of disbelief on Kara’s face. “Stop looking so stunned. Do you honestly believe they’ll sit back and let us solve the problem at our leisure? They’re scared Kara… and their fears may soon trump our solutions. We have to act.”

She softened for a moment and placed a hand on Supergirl’s shoulder. “Kara, whether you like it or not, you’re a world leader… but the League is getting tired of waiting for you to adjust to that role. And I’m sorry but as far as I’m concerned, if the situation with the gulag prisoners worsens even slightly the League will be forced to take a final, decisive action.”


	8. Chapter 8

“Good news!” Lex Luthor was practically beaming as he threw open the doors of his private boardroom that was now filled to bursting. With their backs to the window Lena and her troops sat or stood ready for action facing the Mankind Liberation Front on the other side of the table. The room was so full, in fact, that Kate and the Spectre were floating above the table itself. At its head, standing just behind Lex’s chair, was the intimidating form of Shazam.

“The moment has come to begin our final strike! The gulag is in turmoil. The inmates are… dare I say it…” Lex paused and laughed at the absurdity of the situation. “… are revolting. Supergirl’s prison has become a cauldron of hate and chaos. That’s our cue to deploy our steel legion…” He turned to Billy with an almost-fatherly smile. “.. But not before someone tips that scalding cauldron right onto the Justice League. Someone I’ve been saving for just such a task.”

“What?” Billy said and for the first time, at least in public, there was confusion breaking through the confidence. “Me? But… but all our talks.”

“It’s as I’ve always said. The super humans are evil. You can’t argue with that.” Lex said, his own confidence seeming to grow by the moment.

“But…”

“Only you can ensure their destruction. I’m ordering you to demolish the gulag so that its prisoners roam free. Free and angry and easily eradicated in a war no one can win except us.”

“No… No. I…”

“It will be alright Billy.” Lex soothed. “Do it and worry no more about losing control. You won’t. I’ve seen to that. Go ahead. Tumble down the walls of Jericho.” He placed a hand on Billy’s shoulder, staring right into his eyes. “I insist.”

The punch echoed around the room like a gunshot and suddenly Billy Batson was on the floor, a boot on his throat cutting off his air and preventing him talking. He looked up and saw Lena Luthor standing over him, a look of sympathy on her beautiful face.

“Hello Billy.”

“Shuh…shsss…*kaff*…ss.” Billy tried to speak but there was no way to form words.

“Wait, he’s not Shazam?” Oliver asked in shock. “You’re kidding me! All this time we’ve been in mortal fear of Billy Batson?”

“Not exactly.” Lena said grimly. “I’d suspected for a while but J’onn’s telepathic scan confirmed it. It seems his dual identities are in quite a bit of mental conflict. All these years, as Billy grew to manhood, Lex kept him in check by turning him into a stew of schizophrenic psychoses.”

“But… but our goals!” Lex stammered as he stared at his sister in shock.

“My only goal in allying with you, brother, was to learn your connection to Shazam. In this entire global conflict he was the wild card. And I hate wild cards.”

“You double crossed me!” Lex yelled, surprise giving way to rage but Lena just smiled at him.

“I learned from you.”

“Then may we assume you’ve given the signal?” Sara Lance asked from a position just behind Lena’s left shoulder, a satisfied smirk on her face.

“Absolutely.” Lena replied, her gaze fixed on Lex and her voice as cold as ice. 

“Strike!”

Her forces sprang into life, effortlessly subduing the Mankind Liberation Front in seconds. Hardly surprising, Kate thought to herself, after all they had Batwoman leading them, of course they’d be prepared for this. 

As Oliver fired a net arrow at Lex the bald CEO grabbed the Riddler and hurled him into the line of fire. As the net slammed shut Lex dove through the door, heading into the heart of his operation.

“Ray, follow Lex!” Lena snapped. “Don’t let him get…”

For a single vital second her attention was diverted and with a grunt of effort Billy grabbed her boot and twisted, hurling her backwards while scrambling away. He followed Lex out the door but turned right where Lex and Rey had gone left. Lena scrambled to her feet and raced in pursuit, breathing hard as she tried to keep up with the younger man.

Lex burst out on to the factory floor and dove down the maze of assembly bays. Above him the steel legion waited for commands, waited to do what they were made to do and bring justice to the world. Behind him Ray Palmer pulled a small control from inside his suit and pressed an override control. Throughout the factory white eyes glowed, the red bat emblems on metal chests lit up and Lex Luthor cried out in horrified, furious realisation as their steel hands reached down to fulfil their programming.

“Billy stop!” Lena called as they ran through narrow access corridors lined with pipework. “You don’t have to run anymore. I figured out what Lex did to you. Shazam retired early, didn’t he Billy? Of all of us he had the hardest time adapting to the grim new world around him.”

They found themselves in a room that Kate recognised immediately, her spectral form easily keeping up with the chase. At the far end was the metal chair and projection system that Lex had brainwashed Billy in though now she could see the odd mass of pipes and tanks that filled the remaining space and turned it into a maze.

“Then Lex found you and took you under his wing. Told you the same thing the world was telling you. That super heroes were monsters. Terrible, repulsive beasts. And he never let you forget that you had one hiding deep down inside you. I know, he used to do the same thing to me, tried to make me believe that caring about people was evil!”

Lena eased around a pipe and saw the shadowy figure backing away from her. “Don’t think like that Billy. It’s not true. He’s twisted your brain around that lie! The worms he used, they’re engineered to secrete certain chemicals. Billy or Shazam, either one… they eat away at your mind. They’re driving you mad Billy! Don’t let that happen! The world depends on it!”

There was a gasp as he caught sight of her and the scrabble of rubber sole on metal floor. “Please Billy, let me help you! You can fight… look out!”

The warning came too late. In his fear Billy ran straight into the large glass bowl that played host to the worms. He crashed through it, shattering it on the ground and tumbling to a stop against the chair. He stared in horror at his hands, felt his face, felt the dozens, maybe hundreds of worms crawling on him.

“No! Billy stay calm! I can help you just stay…”

“Sha… SHAZAM!” The word was a scream of fear and terror, the sound of a twelve year old boy lost in a world of nightmares. It reached to the heavens and was answered by a thunderbolt that carved open the building and struck Billy Batson. The explosion threw Lena back to crash against a metal tank but she saw, just for a moment, the outline of a man as he grew and changed. Then he was gone, leaving behind a rolling cloud of debris and dust.

“Damn it.” Lena cursed under her breath as she heard footsteps pounding down the corridor.

“Lena, are you alright?” Sara asked her swords drawn and ready for combat.

“For the moment. What about Lex and his men? Are they all accounted for?”

“In custody, every last one. What about Shazam?”

“No longer a wild card… unfortunately.” Lena braced herself as she finally made eye contact with one of her oldest friends. “He’s still in Lex’s thrall Sara.”

“Oh shit…” Sara breathed.

“Exactly.” Lena took a breath and any doubt vanished from her face. “Get me to the cave. Now!”


	9. Chapter 9

Kate was staring to find herself becoming dizzy from the rapidly changing world as it ebbed and flowed around her. Suddenly she found herself once more standing in the emerald Watchtower, though now in Diana’s personal chambers. Her usual outfit lay on the white couch, replaced with a metallic body suit that rose to armoured shoulder pads. Around her waist a metal skirt flowed over her muscled physique and on the wall before her hung a helm and cape, both metal, designed to mimic a bird of prey. Resting on a short table beside her was a gleaming sword, its hilt mimicking the outstretched wings of the cape.

“Another side of you I’m not comfortable with.” Kara said as she entered through the open doorway.

“Get used to this one.” Diana replied frostily. “A soldier unprepared has no business calling herself a soldier.”

“More Amazonian ‘wisdom’.” Kara sighed, reaching out to pick up the sword and judge its balance. “Isn’t it possible that we’ve already won the big fight?” She ran her thumb down the edge almost absentmindedly. “Once the rioters are calmed we can install… ow!”

She glanced down and to her shock saw a thin cut gently bleeding where she’d touched the blade.

“You always were a bit vulnerable to magic.” Diana said sadly. “Be careful. The sword was a gift from Hephaestus. It can carve the electrons off an atom.”

“And you expect to use it?”

“I expect to be a soldier.” Diana said, taking the sword and sheathing it at her hip.

“I will not sanction lethal force against the rioters Diana.” Kara insisted. “I’m uneasy with the blade.”

“Not all of us have heat vision Supergirl.” Diana said as she walked out of the room and towards the main chamber where the rest of the league had gathered around the huge conference table. Kara stood still for a moment then chased after her.

“There are lines we do not cross Diana!” Kara said, her voice rising louder than she intended. “We have rules.”

“And the prisoners don’t!” Diana snapped as she turned to face Supergirl, her back to the rest of the league who were staring uneasily at the argument. “That’s why they’re prisoners! And if they don’t remain prisoners then your big blue marble teeters on the brink of oblivion! You made the decision to incarcerate them from the good of mankind, remember?”

“And maybe that was my mistake. Maybe I should have let the humans decide how to..”

They were interrupted by a harsh blast of static as the hologram system flickered into life.

“Hear me? Send help! Can you hear me!” Scott Free’s head appeared once more but now blood was streaming down his head from a gash on his right temple and his left eye was a mass of bruises. 

“We’re in trouble! The fight at the gulag goes worse than we expected! The prisoners have begun to breach the walls. They can’t hold much longer and nor can we!” His voice caught as the image switched to scenes of battle and carnage inside the prison. “They’re already… they’ve killed Guardian.”

Kara’s eyes closed and the room held its breath. For a long, timeless moment no-one moved.

“NO!” Diana brought her fist down on the table, shattering it into countless fragments. 

“Guardian.. gone… how could they…” Kara whispered, staring at her open hands as if they had his blood on them.

“So your world’s finally turned upside down. How do we handle this?” Diana asked cruelly, already certain of the answer.

“I… I don’t know.” Kara breathed, still reeling from the news.

“Then I do. We’re going to confront the prisoners and give them an ultimatum. They must surrender.”

“And if they refuse?”

“Then it’s war!”

“But you can’t have a war without people dying Diana.” Kara said softly.

Once more the world seemed to hold its breath then the Amazon turned on her heel and marched for the teleporter, the rest of the league falling in to line behind her as they headed for Kansas and battle, leaving Supergirl alone in the echoing silence of the Watchtower.

Kate felt her heart break as she saw the pain on Kara’s face. Instinctively she reached out to comfort her but, of course, her hand passed straight through Kara’s shoulder. The Girl of Steel looked around the empty room and Kate could read her expression as clearly as any book. How had it gone so wrong? Where did she fit into this? Was war really the only path left to them…

Kara Zor-El closed her eyes, trying to silence the voices in her head, still the doubt and listen to her heart. When she opened them once more Kate gasped and found herself holding her breath. The fierce determination was at once familiar and terrifying, great power held under rigid control as Kara drew a single deep breath and burst from the room. She didn’t bother with the corridors or airlocks, instead flying straight through the nearest wall into the vacuum of space as she tore towards Earth like a missile. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned first National City then Gotham before finding her target.

She smashed down through the ground on the outskirts of the city and battered her way through the forgotten places lying underneath the streets and towers of Gotham. The journey was miles long yet took her only seconds before she burst up into the middle of the Batcave leaving a shocked Lena gaping as she spun to face the intruder. 

“I need your help!” Kara said marching forward, her cape still smoking from the heat of re-entry.

“We’ve been through this already…” Lena started but Kara was suddenly very much inside her personal space.

“Shut up! I don’t have time for your holier-than-thou cracks!” She wasn’t shouting but, somehow, it felt like the foundations of the world trembled at her words. 

“You’re not above all this! Not now, not with the stakes this high. We’re racing the end of the world Lena. I’ve got a half-second lead but by all the stars in heaven that’s not nearly enough!”

“The gulag’s ready to blow.” Lena said softly.

“Yes! Even as we speak Diana and the League stand outside its walls ready to bring them down on top of everyone inside.”

Lena sighed but didn’t look away. Instead her expression hardened as she took a half-step towards Supergirl. “You mean to tell me you never imagined it might come to this? Did you ever consider that a war might be for the best? That perhaps humanity’s only chance is for the superhumans to swallow each other?”

“Don’t give me that!” Kara snapped. “The deliberate taking of human - even super human - life goes against every belief I have. That we have…” Kara’s voice broke as she stared at her old friend. “That’s one thing we’ve always had in common even when it put us on opposite sides of the fight. It’s what made us what we are. Maybe more than anyone in the world, when you take everything else away from Lena Luthor you’re left with someone who doesn’t want to see anybody die.”

Kara reached out and placed a hand on Lena’s shoulder. “We can still help, stop this. Gather your forces. Together we can be the world’s finest team. Please… please tell me you’ll help me.”

Lena stared into Kara’s eyes for a long moment then gently eased back from Kara’s hand. “I’ll tell you this one thing Kara. There’s a player in the game you haven’t counted on. Shazam.”

“Shazam? But… Billy retired.”

“He’s been brainwashed by Lex. Severely. Once there was a good kid inside him but he’s been driven out and I don’t know how you’d ever find him again.” Lena turned and tapped absently at the bat computer. 

“He’s headed for the gulag Kara. He’s going to break it wide open on to the Justice League.” She sighed and shook her head. “What do you expect me to do against power like that?”

Silence echoed behind her and when she turned Kara was nowhere to be seen. For several long minutes Lena stood routed to the spot, her mind racing. Then her jaw set and a cloud lifted from her eyes as Kate saw a mirror of the same determination that had been on Kara’s face. Her finger stabbed out to press a single, final keystroke and at the far end of the Batcave a large metal cylinder began to rotate…

Without a word the Spectre raised a hand and it was as if Kate could suddenly see every horizon at once. 

She saw the forces gathered outside of the gulag, their ranks tense and expectant.

She saw the massed swell of the prisoners inside, weapons ready and in some cases already dripping blood as their strongest members worked on the walls.

She saw the air scorch in Supergirl’s wake as she flew faster than the wind across the country, her hands clenched in desperation as she forced herself to greater and greater speeds.

She saw the clouds above the prison darken and writhe as the storm gathered.

She saw the first flash of lightning arch and heard its thunder roll across the world.

She saw Supergirl blur as the land beneath her became a smear of colour, her flight now just a mass of red and blue, yellow flames lapping at her invulnerable skin from the friction of the air itself.

She saw the dawning horror in Wonder Woman’s eyes as the lightning reared up and struck.

She saw the debris fall as the walls splintered apart, the League covering their ears from the fury unleashed in the skies.

She saw the two sides charge towards each other, Wonder Woman urging on her forces against the shadowy shapes rising from the choking dust that rolled from the destroyed prison, their details lost in the red light of the sun as it filtered through the clouds and ash.

She saw her visions come to life as Ragnarok at last unfolded upon the world.

And worst of all, as she watched helplessly, Kate Kane saw the desperate hopes of the one woman who might yet stop it turned to ash and cinders by a single bolt of lightning. 

It hit her in the small of her back, sending her crashing into the dirt, her body carving a trench almost a mile long before it came to rest. She looked up and saw standing over her the grinning figure of Shazam, his red and gold costume glinting in the light of both sun and storm, hands on hips as his white and gold half-cape flew in the gathering winds.

“No….” Kate whispered but she could not deny the evidence of her own eyes, the truth of the world around her.

Armageddon had arrived.

**Author's Note:**

> I forgot to make this clear in the note for Part 1 so right up front this is borrowing a *LOT* from the Kingdom Come comic series. If you enjoy this story I'd really recommend picking that book up if you get an opportunity. It's a really well told tale and the artwork is stunning thank to Alex Ross. if you haven't seen his art before it's a beautiful realistic style that often uses models and looks more like paintings than a traditional comic book. Just, uh, be aware that it was originally published back in 1996 so don't expect any significant female characters beyond Wonder Woman.
> 
> And while I don't normally do this a little bit of a tease for the final part: There's one major scene in there that's cut from whole cloth and doesn't borrow at all from the original series. As it's pretty important and was in my head I got that down on digital paper yesterday (which is rare for me as I normally write 'in order') and it *wrecked* me. Might want to have tissues handy for that one...


End file.
